Detroit continues to rank atop the NHL, adding to its leads over Central Division rivals from Chicago and St. Louis to three points each. Obviously the Red Wings still don’t have much room to breathe, but one could argue that Detroit won a “statement game” tonight.

Exactly. But the Langenbruenner penalty for knocking a stick out of a guy’s hands and almost out of the rink was just a dumb play. The puck wasn’t in the area that he swung in and that’s how people get hurt.

The Red Wings fans clamored for tougher defensemen for the past 20 years, Brad Stuart, Kronwall, and even Little Jon Ericsson have really answered the call.